Time Well Spent
by djgondra
Summary: Apollo Justice. Without clients in sight, Trucy and Apollo spend time together like brother and sister in times of boredom. Chapter 3: Time to cook!
1. Algebra Homework

Chapter 1

Algebra Homework.

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Author's Note: 'Ello. This story has spoilers, I guess, so if you haven't finished Apollo Justice, tread carefully.

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Boing boing.

Apollo busily played with his antennae-like hair in the silent "Wright Anything Agency". Mr. Wright was busy breaking pianos and high spirits alike with unheard of melodies, so he left Apollo in charge of the agency for the day. The sun was high in the sky (a clock on the wall informed Apollo that it was 3:15), bringing uncomfortably hot sunlight into the office. With the sweaty, dull atmosphere, Apollo slouched in the office chair.

_Well, business definitely never booms around here._

It had been nearly a month since his last court case, and ever since that time Apollo's wallet felt inescapably lonely. Checking his wallet, Apollo frowned. George Washington frowned back at him in shame.

"Hey, if you think you're bored, just take a look at me, buddy." Apollo snapped at his wallet. Putting his wallet back where it belonged, Apollo reclined in the office chair and set his feet up on the table.

The door flew open.

"Polly, I'm home!"

Surprised by the sudden noise, Apollo flew out of the chair and onto the floor. Picking himself up, he saw a young girl sit down on the couch with a frighteningly large book bag strapped to her back. Scratching his head, Apollo sat down in the couch opposing her. "Hey Trucy. Back from school?"

Smiling with glee, she nodded. "Yep! On top of that, I have some other stuff, too." Twiddling with his hair again, Apollo asked, uninterested, "Oh really, and what would that be?"

Reaching into her backpack, Trucy unveiled the largest book that Apollo had ever laid eyes upon. Showing its cover to him, he examined the title. "Intermediate Algebra…?" Nodding, Trucy slammed it down onto the coffee table. "Exactly! I have a lot of homework due tomorrow, and you need to help me with it."

Stuffing his face into a pillow, Apollo mumbled something inaudible. He put his hands into the air, making a shape resembling an X. Trucy pouted. "Polly, you _have_ to help me! I have a big test tomorrow, and my teacher assigned almost a hundred problems from the book. This is bigger than actually getting a client!"

Apollo sat back up. "Trucy, I haven't been to school for almost a year now. Do you have any idea of what a relief it's been not to look at a textbook in that long?" Not going to take no for an answer, Trucy got up from her couch. "I'm sure it's wonderful, Polly. Just look at it this way: it'll be nostalgic to think back on your textbook memories!"

_Those are memories best left untouched,_ Apollo thought.

Sitting down next to him, Trucy opened up her math book. Apollo sighed before looking at the book. The top of the page that Trucy had open read "Polynomial Equations", and numbers and X's littered the page. Thinking to himself for well over a minute, Apollo finally concluded, "I'm a lawyer, not a mathematician, Trucy."

"Oh come on, it can't be that hard!"

"Is that so? Then do you mind telling me what you're supposed to do?"

In an almost confident manner, Trucy bluntly replied, "I don't know; that's why you're helping me!"

Apollo felt his antennae-hair droop.

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"Well, it says here that you take out this X and put it over here…"

"What? No! If you did that, these numbers would be completely out of place, Polly!"

"No, you just have to put parenthesis around these numbers and you'll have your equation."

"But that still doesn't explain what X is…"

"Patience!" Apollo snapped. Flipping to the back of the book, he looked at a sample problem listed in the back. With that being their only guide, even the first problem proved itself to be troublesome.

"So, what do you do after that?" Trucy complained. Reading the rest of the sample, Apollo returned to their objective problem. "Well, it says that you're supposed to factor these out," He wrote down the numbers on the page, "and then set them equal to zero. That… that should do it."

Trucy sat up and looked at Apollo's handiwork. "Really? That's it?"

Double-checking the paper, he slowly nodded. "Uh, I guess. That's all that's written in the sample problem."

Laughing, Trucy hugged Apollo for his accomplishment. "Yay, Polly! You did it!" Blushing slightly, Apollo scratched his head. "Well, it wasn't _that_ hard. It just took a little bit of time, that's all." Picking up the textbook again, Trucy quickly frowned. "But we still have, like, a hundred more to do."

Checking the clock, Apollo shrugged. "Oh well, we have time. Math don't scare me!" Whooping for joy, Trucy prepared the next problem.

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"…But if you factor by that, you'll be left with a decimal! Nobody likes decimals, Polly!"

"But you can't continue with the problem unless you do. Maybe it's just one of those answers with an infinity of numbers."

"What, you mean like pi?"

"Huh? What in the world to pies have to do with this?"

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"Hey kiddos, you've been at that for way too long. I'm closing office soon." Phoenix stood by the doorway, holding onto the light switch. The clock on the wall blatantly announced that it was eleven o'clock, and the only dinner that the "kids" had touched was a pair of Hot Pockets.

"But Daddy, we only have ten more to go!" Trucy protested.

"Yeah, Mr. Wright. We've come so far, and you want us to just stop?"

Shaking his head, Phoenix began flicking the lights on and off. "Well, it's gotten pretty late. I can't just let Trucy stay up…" He quit flicking the switch and left it on. "But education definitely is a must."

Trucy grinned. "Thanks, Daddy!"

"But, I'd better see you back home by twelve o'clock. Apollo, don't let her walk home by herself, now." Apollo nodded. "Yes, sir!"

Closing the door behind him, Phoenix chuckled. "Man, they're cracking at that thing like it's a brand new videogame…"

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Trucy never came home. Phoenix was mildly worried about his daughter, but he knew that Apollo had to be with her, so that eased away a portion of his anxiety. Having taken his bicycle to the agency, Phoenix turned his key in the door, when he realized that the door was already unlocked. Slowly pushing it open, he entered to see both his daughter and apprentice safe, and in a way, rather content.

Snuggled together on the couch, the duo had fallen asleep in the middle of their homework raid. Trucy had her textbook cradled in her arms, while Apollo had a pen in his hand.

Shaking his head and smirking, Phoenix sat down at his desk. As he settled into his chair, his eyes widened. At first giggling to himself, Phoenix started to laugh at the sight before him.

In heavy marker, the current date stated in Trucy's handwriting:

"First day of Spring Break! No school for a week!"

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Author's Note: Rawr. Spring break can jump up on ya' like a bitch. No, Trucy didn't do it on purpose just to spend some time with Apollo. She just forgot, because that's the Trucy way of life.


	2. Long Week

Chapter 2

Long Week

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Yawning as he climbed the stairs up to the "Wright Anything Agency", Apollo had not slept well the night before. Being a Monday, he was required to be at the office to make sure not too much dust settled on the desk. Apollo grumbled to himself, "Honestly, why do I even bother?"

It was true that he was working for _the_ Phoenix Wright, but the title was not very befitting when he could barely pay Apollo's paycheck. Washington was clearly rotting away as Apollo desperately tried to have _something_ fill up his wallet (a few coupons were present, but that just embellished his poor-ness). Without any actual money, he was forced to eat ramen with the Wrights at Eldoon's Noodles just to stay alive. Phoenix didn't seem to care, as paying for ramen seemed cheaper than actually paying Apollo.

The agency's door came into view from the top of the stairs. Apollo groaned.

_All I'm good for now is helping out with homework…_

Stopping in front of the door, he wondered about that. Trucy had just entered Spring Break three days before, and all of her homework for over the break was already completed due to a mistake on her part. The two had finished a week's worth in just a day, so Trucy was sure to be left with a lot of free time. Nonetheless, she would probably spend most of that time following Apollo around.

_I just hope I don't have to deal with her too much._

Pulling the agency door open, Apollo stepped in. Nothing was different but one thing: Mr. Wright was not there. Confused, Apollo simply headed toward the office desk to begin "work". Before actually getting into the chair, an envelope on the desk caught his eye. Picking it up, Apollo saw that it was addressed to him. Tearing it open, he read its contents.

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_Yo, Apollo!_

_Sorry about the short notice, but I'll be out of the state for a week or so. Just yesterday I received a special invite from a casino in Las Vegas that a big poker tournament is being held, and I'd been cordially invited. With a free flight ticket and hotel lodging, how can a guy resist? Anyway, that's not my point. Since your dear boss will not be there to check up on you, the agency will be closed while I'm gone. Enjoy yourself, but don't think you'll be out of work._

_I'd only been given one ticket, so I couldn't bring my lucky charm with me. Of course, I'm talking about Trucy. She's out of school, and with no one watching over her, a father can get concerned! Apollo, it's your duty to look after Trucy in my stead, got it? I left a hundred dollars on the coffee table at my apartment for food. I have a sleeping bag at my place you can sleep in while you're staying over._

_Hoping to win big,_

_Phoenix ;D_

_P.S. If you can, can you use your own money instead of that hundred that I left on the table? That was actually just as a courtesy, but…_

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Frozen stiff, Apollo let the letter fall to the ground. Still processing exactly what had just happened, he sat down in the office chair. Only then did it hit him:

_He wants me to _baby-sit_ Trucy!?_

Standing back up, he began pacing the room. What kind of father just up and left his house, job and daughter to go play poker!? Not only that, but he left his only employee to look after all of those? Rubbing his forehead, Apollo stopped to think.

_All right, Justice, calm down; deep breaths. It can't be that bad can it?_

His mind wandered toward the hundred-dollar bill. Hell, that counted as being paid, right? Any left over would be his, and that was all right. Apollo did some quick math.

_Let's see, if a day's worth of cheap food for the both of us is fifteen dollars, multiply that by seven and we have…_

One hundred dollars.

"What the hell!?" Apollo almost did a back flip. "I'm not getting paid for this at all!"

Sulking, Apollo dragged his feet as he walked toward the door. Locking up, one thought lingered in his mind:

Why in the world did he have to sleep in a sleeping bag?

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Only six blocks away was the apartment complex that the Wrights stayed in. The only reason he knew of its whereabouts was because Phoenix had given him directions, "In case of emergency". The building itself was average looking. Brickwork and cement made up the whole of the building with a staircase leading to the second floor. Parking his bike on a nearby bike rack, Apollo made his way to the second floor.

_I wonder if Mr. Wright's home is as messy as the office?_

At that moment, a thought suddenly struck Apollo. He was going to be seeing Trucy twenty-four hours a day for an entire week. Was Mr. Wright doing this to him on purpose? All day at the offices, Apollo would deal with Trucy _anyway_, so this was no different. Well, no different other than the fact that he _wasn't getting paid._

"Dear Lord, will my poor wallet ever have a companion?" Apollo moped.

Appearing before a reddish-brown door with the numbers 215 on it, Apollo checked his memory to see if he had gotten the correct address. Quite sure of it, he knocked on the door. Waiting for someone to appear, a minute of silence passed. Trying again, this time hitting a little harder, Apollo patiently waited.

Another minute passed.

Scratching his forehead, Apollo wondered, "Well, I know I have the right address, and she's out of school, so she has to be home…"

Unsure what else to do, Apollo tried turning the handle on the door. For whatever reason, whether it was in God's plan, or it was just the alignment of the planets, it was unlocked. Letting go of the handle, Apollo jumped away.

_No! I can't just break into someone's house!_

Waiting for a few more moments, Apollo began to doubt his line of thinking. After all, he would be staying in this very apartment for an entire week, so what was stopping him from entering right then?

Heaving out a heavy sigh, Apollo reached for the handle.

_What have you gotten yourself into, Justice?_

Entering the apartment, Apollo was greeted by a somewhat different sight. The entryway was tidy! However, he was discouraged in living in a clean home after he removed his shoes and entered the living room. The room was directly connected to a kitchen, fully equipped with mini-fridge and second-rate microwave oven.

The living room was more or less littered with magic props, books, and other stuff Apollo labeled as "junk" (he even spied a stray Snackoo on the floor). A bookshelf was on the left side of the room, half filled with actual books, and the other half with more junk, including a small T.V. and DVD player. A coffee table and orange-ish couch were in front of the shelf, and on the right side of the room were two doors. The door to the left was wide open, and the room's contents included a small bed and a curtained window. Judging from its emptiness, Apollo concluded that it was Phoenix's bedroom. This also led him to believe that the room to the right of that was…

Apollo stiffly gulped. Checking his watch, it told him it was ten o'clock. He could safely assume that Trucy was still sleeping, what with it being Spring Break. Would it be wise to barge into her room to wake her up, or sit and wait for an hour or so until she awoke?

He shook his head. Sooner or later he would have to become acquainted with his temporary roommate, so why not now?

_All right Justice, just wake her up and get out._

Slowly he reached for the handle. A foot, five inches, a centimeter… finally grasping the handle, he turned it.

Or so he thought.

With a mind of its own, the door handle spun clock-wise and stopped. Leaping away, Apollo put his back to the couch. Opening up, the door revealed its mysterious opener.

"…Huh? Polly, what are you doing here?"

Face flushing to the deepest of reds, Apollo simply looked away. What in the world was he supposed to say that explained why he was in her house, no less about to enter her room? Mind straying, he stared at Trucy for an answer.

She was wearing blue pajamas with a logo of a diamond and heart. Her hair was not pulled back into its usual ponytail, so it freely rolled down her back. Surprised by her odd appearance, Apollo pulled his antennae back and choked as he searched for words. "I… uh," He tried to change the subject. "Trucy, where's Mr. Wright?"

Taking no notice of his embarrassment, Trucy looked around into Phoenix's room. "I don't know, isn't he in his room?" At that moment, Apollo noticed something: _she didn't know that Phoenix was gone_.

"Hold it; you don't know where your dad is?" Trucy shook her head. "Nope. He was here last night talking on the phone the whole time." Apollo could feel himself starting to sweat.

_Way to go, Mr. Wright. You not only left your daughter, but in secret, too…_

Sighing, Apollo rubbed his face in hopelessness. "Trucy, do you mind sitting down? I have something to tell you…"

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Trucy's mouth gaped in shock. Apollo rubbed his head in preparation for what she would say next.

"How could he just leave like that!? I'd think he would have had the decency to at least tell me!"

Apollo laughed nervously, attempting to lighten the mood. "Well, it can't be that bad. He _is_ doing it for much-needed money after all." Trucy shook her head. "I guess so, but what am I supposed to do? I have to live by myself for an entire week, and on Spring Break at that…"

Feeling slightly guilty for not informing her, Apollo coughed. "Um, actually, I'm going to be watching over you while Mr. Wright is gone." Almost instantaneously, Trucy went from depressed to beaming. "Really!?" Apollo nodded slowly.

Trucy clapped her hands in joy. "Do you know what this mean? We can go to the park, watch movies, play cards… this'll be the best Spring Break without Daddy ever!" Standing up, she went over to the kitchen. "We can even cook some really wacky meals together!"

Just then, Apollo's stomach groaned. He realized that he had left home without eating. "Uh, actually, Trucy, do you think we could eat some breakfast?" Trucy smiled. "Sure! I think we have some cereal."

Opening up a cupboard, she searched it thoroughly to no avail, soon trying another cupboard. She frowned. "Polly, we don't have any cereal." Apollo nodded. "All right. I could just settle for a glass of milk, then."

Opening up the fridge, Trucy's frown doubled in size. "Erm, Polly, I don't know how to put it to you, but…" Apollo sighed. "Well, what _do_ you have to eat?"

Pulling out a can from another cupboard, Trucy set it on the counter. "Well, we have some chicken noodle soup, and that's about it."

Banging his head against the coffee table, Apollo moaned, "Great, I just _know_ I'll love it here." Trucy simply grinned. "I'll heat up the stove, then!"

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Author's note: And so they enjoy chicken noodle soup for breakfast. Pretty nasty if you ask me. (I got nothing against the soup itself, but in the morning?) The ending idea sort of appeared in my mind when Eldoon said that he, "Opened shop early in the morning", and Apollo wondered if people actually ate noodles that early. Now you know.

I wanted to point out that Apollo doesn't actually have a watch, yet he miraculously knows the time from the very watch that shouldn't exist on his wrist. Just deal with it!

Oh yes, I should also say that I know that Phoenix doesn't run the "Wright Anything Agency", and that Trucy actually does. You must be asking, "Why doesn't _she_ choose whether or not Apollo works or not, or if she will work over her spring break?" The fact is, I couldn't get this chapter to work unless he did. So just bear with me, despite the blaring contradiction!


	3. Day 1—Monday

Chapter 3

Monday

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On the coffee table there was a small slip of paper that had some numbers on it. The number one hundred, to be precise. A green Benjamin Franklin gleamed with pride as being the strongest American bill, and for being the only known money in the Wright household. Both Apollo and Trucy stared at it in awe as they sat on the couch.

Apollo gulped. "Well, that right there is our food for the week."

Trucy frowned. "It doesn't look very appetizing." Ignoring the joke, Apollo picked it up and stared at it in all its glory. So green, so rough and crumpled, so… important. A petty piece of paper was the source of life for the two, and they were going to have to savor it.

"Well, I think you should put it in your wallet for safe keeping." Trucy suggested. Put it in his wallet? Was that even a sane decision? The largest bill he had ever housed in his wallet was a twenty, and he was suddenly going to put this behemoth god of money into his humble wallet? He thought not.

"What if I lose it? We won't last very long if that were to happen."

Trucy thought about that statement for a moment. "Hmm, you could split it into smaller bills and only carry portions of it around with you. Just leave the rest here." Apollo actually considered the idea; not only would the money be safe, but if he actually lost the money with him, more would be at home.

Despite that, he had a better idea.

"Hey, what if we were to do this: we spend all of it today on food and anything else we might need so that we're prepared for the entire week."

Trucy jumped at the bold proposition. "What, you mean _al__l_ of it? Like, right now?"

Apollo nodded. "Sure; just think about it. We can't lose anything we don't have, so if we were to spend all of the money on what we need, we couldn't lose it."

Considering the idea, Trucy finally understood what he meant. "Oh, I see. What ever happened to saving money for emergencies, though?" Waving his hand to dismiss the question, Apollo countered.

"Oh, come on, it's just for one week. We'll head to the nearest supermarket and just use all of it for the greater good."

Finally giving in, Trucy stood up. "Oh, all right. Let's go grab the bikes, then."

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There were too many aisles to decide which to browse. Frozen foods, instant meals, fruits and canned foods were their options, as the foods had to last an entire week. Returning from grabbing a cart, Trucy stood next to Apollo. "Well, what foods should we get?" Scratching his forehead, he pondered.

"Frozen foods are out the door; your fridge is miniscule. Instant meals are just gross, and I think fruits count as dessert."

Trucy leaned against the cart. "So we're mostly buying canned stuff." Apollo shrugged in agreement.

"Pretty much. Get whatever else you want, too, I guess."

Smiling in response, Trucy entered the canned food section.

_He said he never wanted to eat chicken noodle soup anymore, so…_ She grabbed two cans of tomato soup.

She grabbed a few cans of tuna, because it was the first thing that came to mind when it came to canned food. She also plopped multiple cans of chicken and broccoli into her cart, although she wasn't sure why she actually grabbed the broccoli. Some beans there, carrots here, and beef on the side…

The cart was mostly full of cans now. Never before had she seen so much preserved food in one place at one time. Trucy was mildly concerned with the health issue of eating so much not-so healthy food all week, but shrugged the thought away.

Doing quick calculations, she figured that there was enough food now, and she had only spent roughly spent seventy-five dollars so far. Turning around to Apollo, Trucy asked, "Hey Polly, do you mind if I go check out some other goodies…"

Trucy found herself in the canned food aisle by herself. Apollo had been following her only seconds before, but he had miraculously disappeared from her sight.

_Where could he be?_ She wondered. Beginning to worry, (as it was generally _her_ who disappeared), Trucy decided to search for him.

Breakfast aisle, frozen food, drinks, hair products…

There he was.

Hiding behind her shopping cart, Trucy spied on Apollo, who was busily searching for something. He almost looked panicked, sweat rolling down his forehead. Sneaking up from behind him, she poked him on the shoulder. Jumping, Apollo turned to face her.

"T-Trucy? You scared me!" Looking past his shoulder, Trucy peeked to see what he was searching for.

"Polly, why are you in the hair-gel section?"

Flushing deep red, he rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, er…" Realizing his embarrassment, Trucy game him a wide grin. "It's okay, Polly! I know your hair doesn't do that naturally." Relieved for not having to explain himself, Apollo forced an insignificant grin.

Scanning the wide selection of gels, Trucy raised an eyebrow. "So, what kind are you looking for? Although, I'll be honest to say that I didn't know there was a difference in brand…"

Cutting her short, Apollo perked up. "Of course there's a difference! Some gels are stiffer, while others give you a more sleek, smooth look, but the kind that I use…" Just then realizing that he was explaining hair-gel to a girl, Apollo immediately hushed himself.

Snickering, Trucy randomly selected a bottle. "I can see that you know your hair-gel." Blushing again, Apollo began searching a second time.

"So, what's the gel you're looking for called?" Trucy asked.

Frowning, Apollo set down a bottle. "The stuff I'm looking for is called _La Merde_. Real strong."

Folding her arms, Trucy shifted her weight from one leg to the other. "Well, I don't see that anywhere. Why don't you try this?" She picked up a bottle with the words _Ekeln_ on it. "The name sounds fancy!"

Sighing, Apollo took the bottle from her. "Not as fancy as _La Merde_, but I guess I don't have a choice. But the sleek, smooth power of _La Merde_ is unmatched…"

Laughing, Trucy tugged on his sleeve. "Whatever, Apollo! Let's finish our shopping already." Nodding, Apollo reluctantly moved away from the hair-gels.

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A frying pan and a pot were the only cooking mediums available in the apartment. Not that he was significantly surprised, nor did he care. It was all he needed to cook for the time being. Apollo turned away from the kitchen to stare at the endless river of plastic bags littering the room. The duo were somehow able to find room in the cupboards above the kitchen counters to store the canned foods and whatnot that Trucy had purchased. She only spared three of the hundred dollars, and Apollo gladly placed them in his wallet.

Trucy appeared out of Phoenix's room with a trash can, and she began cleaning up the plastic shopping bags. Picking up a can of chicken, Apollo turned it about as though examining it. "So, what should we cook for dinner?"

Looking up from her chore, Trucy shrugged. "That depends—what's your favorite food?"

Apollo tossed a bag of bread in the air to show Trucy. "Sandwiches are easy to make for all occasions."

Shocked, Trucy slammed the trashcan on the floor. "Polly! This is your first time in the Wright household. This calls for a celebration, which means," she walked up to him and snatched the bread. "No sandwiches."

Not sure what to say, Apollo spotted a bottle of Ragu on the counter. A light bulb flickered on. "I think I know what to do." He reached for the tomato sauce and waved it in Trucy's face. "Spaghetti!"

Trucy clapped her hands as she returned to her trashcan. "Now you're thinking!"

Grinning, Apollo began filling the pot with water. Setting it on the stove, he covered it with a lid and pulled a pack of spaghetti noodles out of the cupboard.

_Hah, spaghetti is simple enough to cook. This'll be easy._

As he waited for the water to boil, he found, opened, and microwaved a can of beef. He vaguely heard Trucy close the front door, most likely to take out the trash. Turning back to the pot, bubbles were beginning to rise to the top. Throwing a few handfuls of noodles in, he opened the microwave door and pulled out a steaming plate of beef.

With little more to do as he waited for the noodles to soften, Apollo leaned against the counter to gaze at his handiwork. How long had it been since he had last cooked for someone else? A year, possibly two? He shook his head in disbelief. It had always made him feel important when he used to cook for roommates, so why had he stopped? The answer came quite easily.

Of course, he had been living alone those last two years! The only person he had to cook for was himself. However, it was not the same feeling to cook for oneself as cooking for a friend.

When he got hungry, Apollo cooked. Quite simple; he cooked because he had to. But with another person, it felt as though he was _privileged_ to feed them. By doing so, it was as though he were responsible to keep them alive and fed. It was heart-warming.

The feeling was cut short, however. The noodles were beginning to slouch, signaling Apollo that it was time to pay attention to them. Stirring the noodles around, they began to turn from slumped twigs to worms.

_Just about time to pour it out._

The noodles were released from the water's fiery grasp as Apollo dumped the water into the sink. Retrieving a single large plate, he poured the noodles atop it, followed by the tomato sauce and beef.

Apollo applauded his masterpiece. "Voila, monsieur!"

Just then Trucy returned from her trash adventure, and she closed the door behind her. Peeking from behind the kitchen, Apollo greeted her. "Hey, what took you so long?"

Shrugging, Trucy settled into the couch. "The dumpster is so far away! I have to go down all the way to the entrance and…" she suddenly stopped, so as to sniff the air. "I smell something… something labeled as 'Trucy's dinner'!"

Bringing over the plate of spaghetti, Apollo plopped next to her on the couch. "What, none for the all-important chef?"

Grinning, Trucy grabbed a fork from the plate. "Not quite as important as the trash hauler!" Twirling up the first forkful, Trucy examined it carefully. "Poisonous?"

Chuckling, Apollo shook his head. "Sadly, no." Nodding, Trucy finally shoved the spaghetti into her mouth. She chewed on it for a few moments, made a face as though trying to think, and then gulped it down. Anxious from the silence, Apollo asked, "So, good or bad?"

Trucy frowned and scratched her head. "Well, I'm sorry to inform you of this, but…" suddenly, she gleamed with joy. "It's the best cheap-ingredient spaghetti I've tasted!"

Making a face, Apollo twirled his own forkful. "Is that supposed to be a good thing or a bad thing?"

Punching him in the shoulder, Trucy smiled. "A good thing, silly!" Taking his own bite of his creation, Apollo nodded in agreement.

"I'll have to say, it is but my finest."

"Hey, don't get cocky now."

"I can have my time of glory for once, can't I?"

Smirking, Trucy took another bite. "Fine, so long as you cook something as good or better next time."

Chewing, he nodded. "Challenge accepted."

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A lone plate with traces of spaghetti sauce sat in the sink. Trucy comfortably slept in her warm bed with Mr. Hat overlooking her from the corner of the room. She was rather content at the moment.

In the living room, however, Apollo was on the couch with his bright blue sleeping bag. He wasn't exactly comfortable or content.

Rolling about in his sleep to get in a more comfortable position, he accidentally fell onto the floor with a loud thud. Unawakened by the fall, he mumbled to himself, "Mr. Wright… cruel… cruel man."

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Author's Note: Apollo doesn't like sleeping bags! That last part isn't supposed to make it seem like he's mad at Phoenix for leaving Trucy alone; it's supposed to be funny, what with him having to sleep in a sleeping bag on the cold, lonely couch. Anyway, a couple of things I wanted to point out.

First, it is said that the two bought mostly canned food, yet they miraculously have Ragu and spaghetti noodles. That is because I said they _mostly_ bought canned stuff.

Second, I'd never actually mentioned Apollo as to going home to get clothes. I'm sure he did it before he actually got to the Wright household, or something to that effect. Either way, he's not wearing the same stinky clothes every day. Unless, you _want_ him to…? (You cruel bastards!)

Oh, as a hint, the first hair-gel, _La Merde_, is in French, while _Ekeln_ is in German. Translate 'em yourself!


End file.
